Six of Russia’s nine reigning World champions will defend their titles in front of a home crowd at the 2013 IAAF World Championships in Moscow from 10-18 August.

In total, 119 athletes – 50 men and 69 women – from the host nation will compete in the Russian capital. Included in that figure are six athletes who struck gold in Daegu two years ago – Yuliya Zaripova in the 3000m Steeplechase, Olga Kaniskina in the 20km Race Walk, Mariya Abakumova in the Javelin, Anna Chicherova in the High Jump, Tatyana Lysenko in the Hammer and Mariya Savinova in the 800m.

Three of Russia’s reigning World champions – heptathlete Tatyana Chernova and race walkers Valeriy Borchin and Sergey Bakulin – will miss the World Championships.

Long jumpers Aleksandr Menkov and Elena Sokolova guaranteed their places on the team after winning the 2012 Diamond Race in their events.

Aside from the defending champions and Diamond Race winners, there are several other medal hopes. Olympic 400m Hurdles champion Natalya Antyukh can never be discounted, nor can Pole Vault World record-holder Yelena Isinbayeva.

Olympic 20km Race Walk champion and World record-holder Elena Lashmanova will look to extend her winning streak by taking her first World title.

Two-time European indoor champion Darya Klishina will contest the Long Jump, while European champion Sergey Shubenkov goes in the 110m Hurdles.

Olympic High Jump champion Ivan Ukhov and Javelin world leader Dmitri Tarabin carry some of Russia’s best chances of medals in the men’s field events.

Antonina Krivoshapka and Kseniya Ryzhova, the two Russian women who have broken 50 seconds this year, have been named in the 400m. They are also part of a formidable 4x400m squad that also includes the likes of Tatyana Firova and Anastasiya Kapachinskaya.